Southend along with other coastal towns has enjoyed a massive growth in population and jobs over the last 30 years, a new report shows today.

Despite the rise in popularity of foreign beach resorts, employment in the top 43 British seaside towns has risen by more than a fifth since the 1970s. And in Southend, employment grew 11 per cent between 1971 and 2001.

Hundreds of thousands of people of working age have also moved to the coast to chase the new jobs, although this has led to high levels of unemployment in many areas.

David Garston, Southend's executive councillor for regeneration and economic development, said: "The findings of this research are to be welcomed.

"As a seaside resort, Southend tends to attract day-trippers and we are currently pursuing every avenue to get more hotel beds in the town.

"More hotel beds is the key to Southend's success in terms of tourism and we are very much looking to support hoteliers.

"We are encouraging them to spend money and we are spending money ourselves."

Somerset resort Burnham-on-Sea topped the league with an amazing 52 per cent employment growth.

Published Thursday, June 19, 2003

Brought to you by the Evening Echo